Babel, Then And Now
The Babel story is the 2nd in a 4-act drama that's unmistakably a connecting thread of Bereishit
The Need For The Beginning
The emphasis on choice, freedom and responsibility is a most distinctive features of Jewish thought.
The Uniqueness Of Sukkot
Sukkot's duality is that it's the most universalistic and the most particularistic of all festivals
The Cry On Yom Kippur
When we cry from the heart, someone listens; When we cry on Yom Kippur, God hears us.
The Virtues Of Judaism
Who am I? What are the most important things in my life? What do I want to be remembered for? If, as a purely...
The Fourteenth Principle
Simply, for Rambam the number 14 (2x7) was his favored organizing principle.
A Nation Of Storytellers
Torah isn't a theological treatise or a metaphysical system but a series of stories linked over time
Against Hate
We believe that God created each of us, regardless of color, class, culture or creed, in His image.
Pursuing Justice
Judaism is a religion of love but also a religion of justice, for without justice, love corrupts.
Defining Reality
Culture is not nature. There are causes in nature, but only in culture are there meanings.
First, You Must Listen
Blind obedience is not a virtue in Judaism. God wants us to understand the laws He has commanded us
The Fewest Of All Peoples
Israel shows the world that a people does not have to be large in order to be great.
Moses: Leading And Teaching
When someone exercises power over us, they diminish us; when someone teaches us, they help us grow.
Leadership In Time Of Crisis
Ours is a small and intensely vulnerable people. Inspired, we rise to greatness. Uninspired, we fall
Prescriptions For Conflict Resolution
The negotiation between Moses and the tribes of Reuven and Gad is a model of conflict resolution.
‘Be Not Afraid Of Greatness’
God’s “name” is therefore His standing in the world. Do people acknowledge Him, respect Him, honor Him?
Followership
The very act of learning in rabbinic Judaism is conceived as active debate, a kind of gladiatorial contest of the mind.
To Ask Is To Grow
In Judaism, to be without questions is a sign not of faith, but of lack of depth.
Sprints And Marathons
You perpetuate a transformative event by turning it into a ritual.
Leading Well Begets Greatness
There is much in this episode that is hard to understand, much that has to do with the concept of holiness and the powerful energies it released that, like nuclear power today, could be deadly dangerous if not properly used. But there is also a more human story about two approaches to leadership that still resonates with us today.
The Sins of a Leader
Nasi is the generic word for a leader: a ruler, king, judge, elder, or prince. Usually it refers to the holder of political power.
Celebrating by Walking Tall
The account of the construction of the Tabernacle in Vayakhel-Pekudei is built around the number seven.
Creating a Team that Builds
Vayakhel is Moses’ response to the wild abandon of the crowd that gathered around Aaron and made the golden calf.
Restoring Order and Maintaining Peace
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you fail. Such is life.
The Counterpoint of Leadership
In Judaism, monarchy had little or no religious function.